LOVE SAID: A NEW POEM FROM THE SCARRIET EDITORS

Love said: we may watch the sky
When blue day, and all her bright lights die
Alone, without any trouble;
Or we may watch the same streaked sky as a couple,
With hand trapping ours, as the horizon melts into red,
Love said.

Love said: In all these faces, seek me,
But not in words on tablets, or symbols of fire and tree;
Instead find a face to love, look carefully;
Deep in their thoughts and eyes find your destiny
But recall that votaries break apart as much as they wed,
Love said.

Love said: the busy world despises me
And I flee from its customs and safety,
For I want desire and passion with you
Who ignored me, and you will whisper to me, too,
You who will lie down in my cave, instead,
Love said.

Love said: they think I am the opposite of war,
But since I gazed upon your face, not anymore;
I will arm my eyes with killing darts
And invade the most vulnerable of hearts,
This heart, who lies too passively in bed,
Love said.

Love said: They cannot set aside
Their wants from others, they cannot hide
In power, indoctrination, deception, riches,
Propaganda of bullies, bad taste, vanity, spells of witches,
For they will be hollow—and almost as if they were dead,
Love said.

Love said: Please listen to my voice
In the wind, hear my sighs, and make the choice
To love innocent nature; see my eye, the sun,
Which shines newly, in joy, on everyone;
Make the soft pine-needles and grasses your bed,
Love said.

Love said: if music causes you to swoon
As it dies sweetly in a farther room
When you have swooned in your lover’s arms
Far, far from the world’s alarms,
Rise and fall and fall and rise, and I’ll be fed,
Love said.

Love said: Don’t be afraid; not even death
Can steal the medicine of my breath,
Or hush my lips, or put out my eyes,
Or silence the music of my million sighs;
I am the path on which all things are led,
Love said.

Love said: I hate philosophy,
Pardon all my talk, please, please forgive me!
I want to be near you, so come here,
And I want to share everything, even if it’s a tear,
But most of all I want you to come to my bed,
Love said.